WILMINGTON, Mass. — There are some prospects at the Bruins’ fifth annual development camp this weekend, with little or no professional experience, who have flown by Zach Hamill on the organization’s depth chart.

The center and 2007 first-round draft pick wasn’t even kept around through the entire postseason as one of the “Black Aces” during Boston’s run to the Stanley Cup championship following his nine-goal, 43-point season with the Bruins’ Providence (AHL) farm club.

Bruce Cassidy, making his first public statements since he was promoted to head coach of the P-Bruins after three years as an assistant, was asked today about what Hamill has to do to get back in the mix as far as potential NHL contributors. Cassidy’s answer pretty much covered every aspect of Hamill’s situation.

“First of all, go back over the last three years, obviously … he hasn’t developed as well as we all hoped. OK, so we all know that up front,” said Cassidy. “Part of that has to fall on the coaching staff and part of that has to fall on the individual. You know now we move forward. Zach gets an opportunity to work with a new coaching staff per se. Maybe that motivates him, maybe we look at moving him around in a different position. He’s been a center iceman, not a lot of room there, sometimes maybe try him on the wing. I know it’s a little unorthodox, thinking outside the box. But maybe that gets his game to the next level, putting him with some players that can make him a better player also.

“But at the end of the day, when you’re in your fourth year at the same organization, it falls upon yourself just to push people. I think, the individual has to recognize what’s going on around him, a few people have passed him. And it’s time for him to start passing a couple of younger guys that have come in the last couple of years. And whether he’s ready to do that, we’ll find out in September.

“But he is unique, you know. He was a top pick and sometimes there’s no room. When you win a Stanley Cup there’s obviously good players and there might not be room. But for him, part of his process could be ‘hey there’s 29 other teams, maybe if I show other people I can play’ then he’s still an asset to the Bruins but gets other teams to start thinking about him in their lineup, that are weaker you know up front. And that’s sort of how Zach has to approach it. I think both at a personal level that ‘hey I’ve got to find a home somewhere else, if it’s not here, by playing well.’ Or ‘I’ve got to make space for myself here and they will move someone currently in the lineup.’ That’s kind of what falls upon the depth players, and that’s how they push. Brad Marchand, he pushed guys out of the line up, let’s face it. So guys have done it, it’s just not that easy.”

Well, if Hamill makes it to Bruins camp this fall, it sounds like Cassidy is ready to challenge the pivot like he hasn’t been challenged previously. This will obviously be a make-or-break season wherever Hamill winds up.

There are more NHL players from the OHL than any other league. For me to tell you that they are all equal would be wrong. However, Zach Hamill played for the Evertt Silvertips, of the Western Hockey, League and your earlier comment made reference to his competition. The following Bruins are all graduates of the Western Hockey League; Cam Neely, Johnny Bucyk, Dallas Smith, Johnny Mackenzie, Johnny Boychuk, Andrew Ferrence, Glen Wesley, and Milan Lucic. The level of competition didn’t seem to hurt them. Regarding college games, I have watch only a few so you have me there. My point is that you cannot dismiss a player because of the people they play against or where they are from. The Bruins have always seemed to take the BEST player available and that is why they have turned around their farm system. If Zach Hamill comes on enough to make the Big Club, then he will have to improve immensely in some areas. If he does, the Bruins will be better because he has beat out a Stanley Cup champion to earn a spot. Credit the Bruins for not playing Hamill ahead of some other players in order to make management/scouting look good.

bruins16
The other nifty’s comment referring negatively about the competition Hamill faced in junior hockey (Western Hockey League) is way out of line. The Western Hockey League’s competition if fine and should be not referred to as second rate. The Ontario Hockey League has had its share of first round failures/duds. Scouts do make mistakes, especially at the age of eighteen. When you make draft selections based on the postal address (Canada) or the zip code (US), you are doomed for failure (eg. Calgary Flames, Quebec Nordiques). You grade players on what you see, not who they are playing against. Every Canadian province and as well as most states in the American Northeast and Upper Midwest have players in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Teams should not shy away from players because of the region they come from.

Everyone will make a first round mistake if they get to draft enough. I think they learned from it. Scouts have to look at the competition and not just stats. Couture is from my backyard. I know they didn’t like his skating but they didn’t watch him enough obviously. He could play in all three zones and had a pro body. If Brian Kilrea thinks he can play I’m not arguing with the guy.

I’m pretty sure everyone has already recognized he was a draft mistake. It happens. But looking back and seeing that Logan Couture was taken by the Sharks with next pick…ouch. But if you look back at that list there are a lot of other guys that aren’t exactly tearing up the NHL or even AHL.
Interesting to see that P.K. Subban was selected 43rd overall that year, after the B’s took Tommy Cross with their 2nd rounder (35th overall).
Imagine him on our PP this year!?
Hindsight’s always 20/20 but it’s fun to imagine a draft of Couture/Subban instead of Hamill/Cross.
We coulda won the Cup this year!!! ..oh wait…

By what we’ve seen in the past, I don’t think he makes it. He doesn’t seem to have the skill and speed to compensate for his lack of size. I hope for his sake that he works extremely hard during the off-season in order to give himself the best chance. There are too many good young players that need ice time, and hopefully that becomes the priority in player development. At some time the Bruins have to recognize that a draft mistake may have been made. Certainly they’ve done well with the majority of their picks over the last couple of years. Lucic was a second round pick, and every Hab fan must anguish that we got Bergeron on the second round, after they had already picked twice. Brad Marchand and Johnny Boychuk are both good later picks.